Abu Dhabi (UAE)

Abu Dhabi is an Arabian Gulf cruise port part of the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Prior to the discovery of oil 1958, Abu Dhabi was a poor, rural wasteland. Now the city has one of the world's highest per-capita incomes. The city is the capital of the UAE, with population around 250,000.

Traditionally for the UAE, the city is modern, clean, featuring high rise buildings and numerous palm trees. Tourist attractions include souks (marketplaces), Petroleum Exhibition, palaces owned by local sheiks. The walled coastal road (corniche) runs for about 13 km (8 mi) along Persian/Arabian Gulf. The city has an attractive park with flower gardens and 2200-year-old tomb ("Round Structure").

Abu Dhabi accounts for nearly 2/3 of the USD 400-billion UAE economy. It is the 4th most expensive city for expatriate employees in the area, and in 2014 was the world's 68th most expensive large city. The city features numerous modern amenities and attractions, like hotels, shopping, tours/excursions, also Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari World, Falcon Hospital. The more popular Dubai is only a short ride away.

A popular tourist destination, Dalma Island is located approx 42 km (26 mi) off Abu Dhabi's coast, as well as at 116 km (72 mi) away from Qatar's capital city Doha. On Dalma Island are identified 20+ archaeological sites from the Late Stone Age. Dalma's population is around 10,000, most of whom are from Qatar but granted UAE nationality. The only way of accessing the island is by sea and mainly by Ro-Pax ships (car and passenger ferries) leaving from Marsa Jebel Al Dhanna (Abu Dhabi).

Khalifa Port (Abu Dhabi)

Abu Dhabi Ports Company was established in 2006 and formed as part of the UAE's commercial ports restructuring. The company replaced the old Abu Dhabi Seaports Authority. It manages a total of 11 ports (commercial, logistic, leisure), including Khalifa Port (deep-water), Zayed Port (deep-water, operational since 1972, also serving cruise vessels), Free Port, Musaffah Port and 5 ports in Al Gharbia. "Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi" is adjacent to Khalifa Port and serves logistics and manufacturing companies.

On November 5, 2017, the Chinese company COSCO SHIPPING Ports Ltd (CSP, Hong Kong-based subsidiary of COSCO Group, China) held at Khalifa Port the ground-breaking ceremony for the new "CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal".

• Prior to the ceremony was signed an agreement between CSP and Abu Dhabi Ports Company, Port Fujairah and KIZAD ("Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi") for leasing of a new CFS ("container freight station" / port facility for handling containerized cargo).
• The new CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal (located along Maritime Silk Route) entered into 35-year concession agreement (until 2051) with Abu Dhabi Ports on September 28, 2016. The construction of the new container ship terminal started in 2017 (Nov 5), took 18 months and was operational by 2018-Q4. The facility has quay length 1200 m (3940 ft) and annual capacity around 2,5 million TEUs (containers), thus increasing port's total annual handling capacity up to 6 million TEUs (both container terminals combined).
• CSP operates a global network of cargo ports in Asia (mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore), Europe (Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Belgium), Africa (Egypt) and the USA.

The USD 430 million CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal was officially inaugurated on December 10, 2018.

• In 2017, Port Khalifa handled total 1,4 million TEUs, which increased to 1,6 million TEUs in 2018, with expected around 3 million TEUs in 2019.
• By the year 2030, Khalifa Port's annual cargo shipping capacity is expected to reach 15 million TEUs and 35 million general cargo tons.
• CSP could spend another USD 200 million to add 1 million TEU-capacity in next 3-5 years, expanding terminal's capacity to 9,1 million TEUs.
• As of 2019, COSCO SHIPPING Ports Ltd had worldwide 282 berths (at 36 different seaports) with annual turnover around USD 58 billion.

Khalifa Port was opened in September and inaugurated on December 12, 2012. In 2016 it was ranked the world's second-fastest-growing global container port - following Shanghai China. As of 2019, the seaport is ranked world's 25th largest container port. It features 8 km (5 mi) long breakwater and 4 km (2,5 mi) total quay wall length (of which 2,4 km main berth, 800 m West Quay, 800 m Emal Quay). Pilotage is compulsory and available 24-7. Max vessel draft is 13 m (43 ft).

The Port serves 20 containership lines, offers 60 direct links to international ports and is equipped with a total of 52 automated ship-to-shore (stacking) cranes (rail-mounted).

• On Sept 30, 2018, Port Khalifa received 10x ARMG (automated rail-mounted gantry cranes) and 4x STS (ship-to-shore quay cranes). The China-made equipment was shipped from Shanghai and installed at the second / new COSCO SHIPPING Abu Dhabi Terminal. These cranes are used for TEU stacking. They are remotely controlled and with lifting capacity 41 tons.
• On May 20, 2020, KPCT (Khalifa Port Container Terminal) received 5x new STS cranes, each with height 52 m (171 ft), reach 73 m (240 ft) and lifting capacity 90 tonnes.
• Each crane is ZMPC-made (by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co Ltd, China).
• The upgrade allowed KPCT to increase its annual cargo handling capacity to 5 million TEUs.

In late-March 2018, Abu Dhabi Ports signed an MoU with CCPIT ("China Council for the Promotion of International Trade"). The Memorandum of Understanding was for promoting commercial shipping opportunities to potential Chinese investors in KIZAD ("Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi") and KPFTZ ("Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone").

In April 2018, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Abu Dhabi Ports opened a container freight station to reduce aluminum trucking mileage within KIZAD, by over 290,000 km per year. The new facility is used to load aluminum into TEU containers for export shipping. Purpose-built near EGA’s Al Taweelah smelter site (world's largest), the new station reduces the trucking distance by approx 17 km for each consignment. EGA's annual aluminum volume for 2017 was nearly 600,000 tons, which (from Khalifa Port) required over 17,000 truck movements from Al Taweelah to the quayside. Total annual CO2 emissions savings are over 2000 tons.

As of 2018, KIZAD (region's largest free zone) comprises 410 km2 (160 mi2), has over 200 tenants, attracted total investments of AED 65 billion (USD 17,7 billion). Since August 2017, 19 Chinese companies signed land lease agreements within Khalifa Port Free Trade Zone.

Zayed Port (Abu Dhabi cruise port)

Port Abu Dhabi is part of the "Cruise Arabia" alliance, which also includes Dubai and Sharjah (both in UAE), plus ports in Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. Since December 2016, Abu Dhabi has Arabian Gulf's only dedicated desert cruise island port - Sir Bani Yas island. Many regular holiday tourists visit Yas Island as a day trip or overnight vacation destination.

Abu Dhabi is also gaining popularity as a wedding destination for guests from India, Europe, the USA. Zayed Port's cruising season is October through July.

The cooperation with the UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways resulted in a relatively steady annual increase in visiting cruise tourists from India (around 10% per year) and also in tourists flying to Abu Dhabi from Delhi or Mumbai (around 30% per year). The Etihad Airways has additionally partnered with Jet Airways for connecting cheap flights to all major airport cities in India. The option for cruises to UAE leaving from ports in India is expected to become reality in the following years.

During season 2014-2015, the cruise port handled a total of 94 ship calls and ~190,000 passengers. During season 2015-2016, these numbers grew to 113 ship visits and 232,600 passengers (increase 22% / 16%). For comparison, Zayed Port during season 2006-2007 handled a total of 35,366 cruise ship tourists.

During season 2016-2017, the cruise port's business increased by 15% (over 2015-2016) with nearly 345,000 passengers. The estimated number of cruise tourists by the year 2020 is 450,000 and by the year 2025 - 808,000. Ship numbers increased from 115 (2015-2016) to 161 (2016-2017). In 2017, the port reported 48% increase in passenger volumes at its cruise terminals - about 6 times the 8% increase in 2016.

In 2016, Abu Dhabi and other UAE cities introduced a new (multi-entry) visa system allowing cruise passengers to visit various UAE tour destinations with 1 permit. Previously, UAE visas were only for tourists arriving and leaving the UAE on a cruise ship. The new visas allow tourists to fly to Dubai Airport, embark on a cruise vessel in Mina Rashid and cruise to Abu Dhabi and also to other Persian Gulf countries with a single visa rather than obtaining 2 or 3 separate visas. The new visas are also cheaper (AUD 59) in comparison to Dubai's 96-hours visa (AUD 44).

In mid-February 2020, Abu Dhabi Ports and MSC Cruises signed a long-term agreement for preferential berthing at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Sir Bani Yas Island. The Abu Dhabi Ports-MSC deal is expected to bring around 1,3 million cruise ship tourists over the agreement period. For 2019, the cruise port reported 47% growth in passenger numbers and 45% increase in cruise ship calls over 2018.

During season 2021-2022, the Port handled 130 cruise ship calls and 177,639 tourists.

During season 2022-2023, the cruise port's schedule listed a total of 184 ship calls and handled 600,000+ tourists (including ~82000 homeporting).

For season 2023-2024, the Port had booked a total of 126 cruise ship berthings. The 2023-Q1 showed remarkable growth, with 363,494 visitors and 120 ship calls, surpassing 2022-Q1's numbers of both visitors (89,953) and calls (60).

Abu Dhabi cruise terminal